Case Study

An all-plastic, high-purity valve with a diaphragm and internal valve body made of Teflon® NXT fluoroplastic resin promotes extended service life in acid and slurry applications.

Swagelok® DRP Series valves have a broad range of applications including use in semiconductor, metal-sensitive inks, fine chemical, biopharmaceutical and petrochemical processing. The valves meet or exceed SEMI Standard F57-0301 for ultrahigh-purity polymer system components. They are available in a complete range of both metric and fractional end connections, and with customizable manifold configurations. Both manual and pneumatically actuated versions are available.

Benefits Gained

Longer Life, Less Downtime
Because Teflon® NXT is much more resistant to the swelling effects of acid permeation than standard fluoropolymers, the valve body and diaphragm remain serviceable longer. Through Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Swagelok engineers developed a diaphragm of Teflon® NXT with a balance of thickness for low permeability of acids and flexibility for longer cycle life.

Fights Heat, Pressure, Abrasives
Acids become more aggressive under heat and pressure, and slurry abrasives used in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) can wear away exposed surfaces; but the resistance of Teflon® NXT to high temperature, abrasion and a very broad range of chemicals and solvents allows it to stand up in harsh process environments.

Flexible Design and Manufacturing
Teflon® NXT is easy to machine, and it provides a cost-effective alternative to injection molding for Swagelok. The company reports that Teflon® NXT and its own proprietary machining processes help keep Swagelok at the forefront of polymer valve design by allowing faster, more economical response to customer needs.

Materials Selected and Why

The inherent resistance to acids, abrasives, and other operating stresses combined with easy machining and extremely high purity make Teflon® NXT an ideal material for plastic valves.